Seam buster

ABSTRACT

Apparatus to open and press the inner and outer seams of pants legs comprising two bucks having convex surfaces over which pants legs are stretched to separate flaps of the seams which lie substantially flat. Two pressing heads, suspended over the bucks, move downwardly to steam press the seam open. The bucks are secured on a head which is secured to a hollow shaft such that the head and shaft are rotated 180* to reverse the position of the bucks. A vacuum is drawn through the bucks having apertures formed in the convex surfaces thereof such that steam is drawn through the legs of the pants into hollow compartments within the bucks and vacated therefrom.

y flat. wo pressing heads, suspended over the bucks, move Oct. 21, 1975 3,366,292 1/1968 Thompson............................ 3,654,714 4 1972 North........... 3,659,537 5/1972 Sigolda...............................

Primary Examiner-Geo. V. Larkin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Howard E. Moore; Gerald G. Crutsinger [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus to open and press the inner and outer seams of pants legs comprising two bucks having convex surfaces over which pants legs are stretched to separate flaps of the seams which lie substantial] T downwardly to steam press the seam open. The bucks are secured on a head which is secured to a hollow shaft such that the head and shaft are rotated 180 to Inventor: Hugh L. Thompson, PO. Box 2329,

807 Citizens Tower, Waco, Tex. 76703 Filed: Sept. 6, 1974 Appl. No.: 503,836

Int. Cl. D06F 69/00 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS United States Patent 1191 Thompson SEAM BUSTER [58] Field of Search.......1.......

reverse the position of the bucks. A vacuum is drawn through the bucks having apertures formed in the convex surfaces thereof such that steam is drawn throu the legs of the pants into hollow compartments within the bucks and vacated therefrom.

10 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 8 5552 BB B ll./l l 2 //3/oo/oo 2 3003 33 3 .3

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.80 Patent Oct.21, 1975 Sheet3of3 3,913,248

SEAM BUSTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the clothing industry, pants legs are sewn together in an inside-out position and have about a half inch of material extending past the stitch in the clothing which runs longitudinally with the pants legs. There are four leg seams to a pair of pants. Before the pant can be finished and turned right-side-out, the half inch edges along the seams must be opened up and pressed flat.

The process of pressing open the seams of pants is known as seam busting. Each leg is drawn over a buck stretching the pants legs so that the seam may be pressed open and flat.

Heretofore, devices to accomplish the pressing have necessitated the manual opening of said seam and using a hand iron along same seam to press it open. This process is tedious and requires a great deal of time thus adding to the initial cost of manufacturing clothing.

Heretofore, no device has been developed wherein pants could be stretched over bucks such that the seams open without manual folding and wherein the bucks could be rotated such that all seams could be pressed without removing the pants from the bucks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I have devised a seam buster having two identical bucks with outwardly curved surfaces arranged such that seams are opened as the pants legs are drawn over the curved surfaces, flattening out the two edges or flaps of the material. The two bucks are secured to a head which is rigidly secured to a rotatable shaft supported by a pedestal. The shaft is connected to a lever which may be pulled downwardly and moved through an arc of 180 by an air cylinder, reversing the position of the bucks. Thus, the two other seams of the pants may be pressed without removal of the pants from said bucks.

An automatic pressing means, having curved concave surfaces parallel to the outwardly extending curved convex surfaces of the bucks,is positioned over the bucks so that when the pants legs are positioned on the bucks the heads move downwardly and steam press the edges of the seam open. The pressing heads are re-.

tracted so that the bucks maybe rotated 180 and the other scams pressed open by the pressing heads.

The primary object of the invention is to provide apparatus which causes the edges of the seam to open without manual manipulation of same so that they may be pressed by a single steam pressing head.

Another object of the invention is to eliminate the necessity of a hand iron being used to press open the edges of the seam on pants legs.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of supplying more steam to the pressing process so that synthetic and wool fabrics will tend to remain pressed flat as these fabrics tend to return to their original position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means which oscillate the bucks to 180 so that the necessity of removing the pants legs from the bucks is eliminated.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent upon studying the detailed description hereinafter contained and the drawings annexed hereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention are annexed hereto so that the invention may be better and more fully understood, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the seam buster and automatic presser;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view with parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate the invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

Numeral references are employed to designate like parts throughout the various figures of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing the numeral 10 designates a seam buster comprising bucks 12 and 14 rigidly secured to head 16. Head 16 is rigidly secured to shaft 18 which is rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 20. The numeral 22 generally designates the pressing head means which presses out the seam in the pants as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

The seam buster 10 comprises a hollow pedestal 24 of a rectangular cross-section, said pedestal 24 being mounted upon a base plate 26. A removable cover plate 28 closes the upper open end of the pedestal 24, the same being secured by removable screws 28a or the like. Bearing blocks 20 extend downwardly from cover plate 28 into pedestal 24.

A hollow shaft 18 is journalled through bearing blocks 20 and is closed at end 18b by plug 30, the shaft 18 extending through the sidewalls of pedestal 24. The shaft 18 is removable from pedestal 24 with the cover plate 28 when the latter is unscrewed and removed from the top of pedestal 24. I-llollow shaft 18, having a manifold 62 on end 18a thereof, forms a duct 19 for drawing a vacuum through the hollow shaft 18 and the hollow compartments 41 and 42 of bucks 12 and 14 as will hereinafter be more fully described. The shaft 18 is alternately oscillatable in bearing blocks 20 through an arc of as hereinafter described.

Buck carrying head 16 is rigidly secured on end 18b of shaft 18 by means such as welding or the like and is oscillatable therewith. Head 16 is hollow and air-tight, same being closed on both sides, and comprises a hollow substantially rectangular, vertically disposed central portion 32 disposed perpendicular to the shaft 18, one outer end portion 34 of the central portion 32 being flanged at right angles in one direction, while the opposite end portion 36 of the central portion 32 is flanged at right angles in the opposite direction, the flanged portions 34 and 36 being equally spaced from the axis of the hollow shaft 18, and extending in parallel relation one above and the other below shaft 18 in opposite directions. When the central portion 32 of the head 16 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 4 in which the central portion 32 is disposed vertically, the flanged portion 34 will be disposed above the hollow shaft 18, while a flanged portion 36 will be disposed below the hollow shaft 18 but extending in the opposite direction. However, when the central portion 32 is rotated to 180 the flange portion 36 will be disposed above the hollow shaft 18 and the flanged portion 34 will be disposed below the hollow shaft 18. The rotation of shaft 18 and head 16 is restricted to an oscillating movement of 180 as hereinafter described. In the angles formed between the central portion 32 and the flanged portions 34 and 36 are inclined plates 38 which are secured by means such as welding to provide strength for said flanges 34 and 36.

Extending from the outward face 16a of head 16, as shown in the drawings, are two bucks l2 and 14 of identical construction, each buck having a rectangular cross-section and having ends 12b and 14b tapered to fit between the walls of the respective flanged portions 34 and 36 of head 16. Ends 12b and 14b are welded to head 16 and rotatable therewith. Each buck has a longitudinally disposed internal partition 40 dividing the interior of the bucks into two longitudinal parallel compartments 41 and 42, as seen in FIGS. 5 and 8 of the drawings, and extending substantially the length of the bucks 12 and 14. Ends 12a and 14a of the bucks l2 and 14 are formed into wedged-shaped tips to close the bucks. Each buck has longitudinally extending outwardly curved convex surfaces 46a, 46b, 48a, and 48b which are secured to side panels 49 and 50. Each surface 46 and 48 has a plurality of apertures 52 formed therein communicating with compartments 41 and 42, respectively. The outwardly curved surfaces 46a, 46b, 48a, and 48b are convexly curved such that as pant leg 51 is drawn over the buck in an inside-out position and the ends of the pant leg 51 are stretched over the surfaces 46a, 46b, 48a, and 48b, each seam 53 in leg 51 will open and flatten out. In order to press a seam in a pant leg, the seam must be opened, that is the flaps 53a and 53b must lie substantially parallel with the leg 51 so that the pressing head may steam press the seam flat against the inside of the pant leg 51, as illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawing.

Clips 55a and 5512 are secured to each end of the bucks 12 and 14 to hold the pant legs 51 in place once stretched into position and are spring urged downward having small projections which grip the pant.

The two compartments 41 and 42 form a single compartment 41a adjacent flapper valve 54 which is hingedly secured to partition 40 by means of pin 56. When buck 12 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawing. the flapper valve 54 will be in the position shown in FIG. 9 thus closing vacuum chamber 42 and allowing a vacuum to be drawn on chamber 41 in buck 12. Upon rotation of buck 12 through 180 to a position where surfaces 48 are on top and surfaces 46 are on the bottom, the flapper valve 54 will move to the position shown in dashed outline 54' due to the force of gravity pulling the valve 54 downwardly thus closing compartment 41, which will be on the bottom of the buck and opening compartment 42, which will be on the top of the buck, thus drawing a vacuum through the apertures 52 communicating with compartment 42.

Compartment 41a communicates with central portion 32 of head 16 through passages 58a and 58b which communicate with the interior of hollow shaft 18 through passages 60. A vacuum is continuously drawn on compartments 41a and on one of the compartments 41 and 42 throughout the length of bucks 12 and 14 and draws air through apertures 52. The vacuum is drawn through hollow shaft 18 which communicates with central portion 32 of head 16 which communicates with compartment 41a, which communicates with compartments 41 or 42 depending on the position of valve 54 in relation to bucks 12 and 14. The vacuum drawn on apertures 52 pulls on the flaps 53a and 53b of seam 53 of leg 51 as illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings to hold down the edges of the opened se'am 53 on the pant leg 51 while the automatic pressing head 22 is lowered thereto. The vacuum also helps to dry the seam 53 after pressing.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, coupling means, comprising a hollow manifold 62 in the form of a T-coupling, is disposed exteriorly of pedestal 24 and surrounds end 18a of hollow shaft 18, the shaft 18 rotatably passing through the hollow manifold 62 which is maintained on the end of shaft 18 by a retaining washer 64 secured by a bolt 65 to the closed end of shaft 18. The hollow manifold 62 is rigidly secured to tube 66 to prevent rotation of manifold 62. Tube 66 is connected to a suitable vacuum or suction source (not shown). The opposite sides of head 62 are provided with seals 68 to prevent entrance of air between the shaft 18 and the inner wall of hollow manifold 62. Shaft 18 has holes 70 formed in end 18a thereof and communicating with the interior of manifold 62 and tube 66. Tube 66 communicates with head 62 and draws a vacuum through holes 70, through hollow shaft 18, through passages 60 formed in end 18b (FIG. 4)of hollow shaft 18, through the interior of central portion 32 of head 16, through compartment 41a (FIG. 9) which is divided into compartments 41 and 42 on the interior of the bucks 12 and 14,

and which communicates with apertures 52 so as to draw a vacuum on the seam 53 of the pant leg.

Means are provided for alternately oscillating the hollow shaft- 18 moving head 16 and bucks 12 and 14 through an angle of 180. As illustrated in FIG. 1, 2, and 3 a lever 72 is rigidly secured to one end to hollow shaft 18 by a key 72a within the pedestal 24 between the bearing blocks 20. The lever 72 is arranged in the position shown in full outline in FIG. 3, so that the head 16 and bucks 12 and 14 will be in the position shown in FIG. 1 wherein the rear most buck 14 is disposed above and behind the foremost buck 12. When lever 72 is swung downwardly through an arc of 180 and to the position 72' shown in dashed outline in FIG. 3, the bucks 12 and 14 will be turned upside down and the positions of the bucks 12 and 14 will be reversed. In order to prevent undue noise when the lever 72' is oscillating, a neopreme or other bumper 74 is preferably secured to the underside of top 28 immediately above the lever 72 to prevent contact between the metal lever 72 and cover 28.

The means for operating the lever 72 for oscillating through an angle of 180 is mounted on plate 76 which is suspended by rods 78 from the depending bearing blocks 20 of the cover plate 28 to form a rigid platform removable from pedestal 24 with the top 28. On the top of plate 76 is a pivot eye 80 in which is pivoted a clevis 81 at the lower end of air cylinder 82, which cylinder 82 carries a piston rod 84 which is pivotally connected by a pin 86 to the outer end of lever 72. Within the cylinder 82 is a piston (now shown) adapted so that when compressed air is emitted into the top of cylinder 82 above the piston, rod 84 is suddenly pulled downwardly moving the outer end of lever 72 downwardly, causing the lever 72 to rotate the hollow shaft 18 counterclockwise through an arc of 90 from the position shown in full outline toward the position 72' shown in dashed outlines in FIG. 3.

The compressed air supplied to cylinder 82 is directed through an inlet 88 and end cover 28, and passes downwardly through pipe 90 and laterally through pipe 92 into air regulator 94 mounted on the underside of plate 76. The air passes through the air gauge 96 into an air control valve 98 mounted on the underside of plate 76, which valve 98 is connected to a conduit 100 communicating with top of air cylinder 82 above the piston therein. A second conduit 102 communicating with the bottom of air cylinder 82 is connected to the other side of valve 98. The air flow in control valve 98 is controlled by a solenoid 104 secured to the underside of plate 76. Solenoid 104 is electrically activated through lead 105 which is secured to one side of an electric current source and lead 106 which is secured to one side of a spring urged normally open foot switch 108. The other side of the foot switch 108 is secured by lead 107 to the current source. When switch 108 is closed a circuit is completed from lead 107, through lead 106, through solenoid 104 to lead 105.

Solenoid 104 is connected by link 109 to valve 98 such that when solenoid 104 is energized pressure fluid from pipe 92 communicates with the top side of air cylinder 82 and the bottom side of cylinder 82 is vented through circuit 102 to the atmosphere such that piston rod 84 moves downwardly pulling lever 72 downwardly. When the solenoid 104 is de-energized by releasing the foot switch 108 the spring urged valve 98 moves back to a position which allows pressure fluid from pipe 92 to communicate with the bottom of cylinder 82 through conduit 102 and vent to top of cylinder 82 through conduit 100 moving piston rod 84 upwardly. The inertia of the moving lever 72 and bucks 12 and 14 will move the lever 72 toward' the position 72 and to reverse the position of bucks 12 and 14 when rod 84 is extended.

An automatic pressing means 22 comprises pressing heads 110 and 112 positioned over bucks 12 and 14, respectively, having concave curved lower surface 110a and 112a parallel to the convex curved upper surfaces 46a and 46b on the bucks l2 and 14 such that the pressing heads 110 and 112 may be seated against the bucks.

As seen in FIG. 2 of the drawing, each of the pressing heads 110 and 112 comprises upper and lower walls 130a and 13% joined by side walls 130a and 130d to form a hollow compartment 130 with a rectangular cross-section the width of which is preferably substantially the same as the width of bucks 12 and 14. Each lower wall l30b is provided with a plurality of apertures 128 communicating with the interior compartment 130 of the hollow pressing heads 110 and 112.

Support means for pressing means 22 comprises base plates 114 secured to two upright columns 116, each column supporting an arm 116a to which a mounting plate 118 is secured by bolts 120.

A pair of air cylinders 120a and 12012 are rigidly secured to plate 118 and have piston rod 122a and 122k slidably disposed therein. Piston rods 122a and 122b are secured to pressing head 110 to control the movement of same. In a similar manner, air cylinders 124a and 124b are secured to the rear portion of plate 118 and have rods 126a and 126b secured to pressing head 112.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, means to control the pressing head air cylinders 120a, 1201;, 124a, and l24b comprises a spring biased, four-way, two position valve 137 connected to a pressurized air line 138 and a vent line 139 communicating with the atmosphere. The valve 137 is spring biased to the position shown such that pressure line 138 communicates with line 140 which is secured to coupling 141a communicating with the bottom of the air cylinders 120a, 120b, l24b through lines 140a, 140a and 140b and 140b'. The upper ends of the cylinders communicate through lines 142a, 142a, l42b 140b, through coupling 141b with line 142 which is connected through valve 137 to vent line 139 such that the piston rods 122a, 122b, 126a, and 126b are moved upwardly pulling heads and 112 upwardly when valve 137 is in the position illustrated.

A solenoid 144 is secured to valve 137. When the solenoid 144 is energized valve 137 is actuated to connect pressure line 138 to line 140 to deliver pressurized air to upper ends of the cylinders a, l20b, 124a and 124b and line 142 and the lower ends of the cylinders are vented to the atmosphere thus extending piston rods 122a, 122b, 126a, and 126b to move pressing heads 110 and 112 downwardly toward bucks l2 and 14.

Means to energize solenoid 144 comprise a spring urged normally open foot switch 145, similar to switch 108, having one terminal connected to a power source by lead 146 and another terminal connected to one side of solenoid 144 by lead 147. The circuit is completed by connecting lead 148 to the other side of the power source (not shown). The valve 137 is spring urged to a position to move heads 110 and 112 upward for safety reasons to insure that the heads 110 and 112 do not move down until switch 1.45 is closed or in case of a power failure the heads 111) and 112 will move upwardly.

Steam supply line 150 is connected to the inlet pas-- sage of a two position normally closed valve 149 which is connected to a steam distribution line 136. Distribution line 136 is connected through coupling 132 and lines 133 and 134 to compartments inside pressing heads 112 and 114. Means to control the valve 149 comprises a solenoid 151 having one side'connected to an electrical power source (not shown) by lead 152 and the other side connected by lead 153 to one side of limit switch 154. The other side of limit switch 154 is connected by lead 155 to the power source. The limit switch 154 is secured to the air cylinder 1200 such that when piston rod 122a is fully extended the rod 122a closes the switch 154 to energize solenoid 151 opening valve 149 so that the steam will pass from line 150, through line 136, through compartment 130, and through apertures 128 into bucks 12 and 14.

Operation of the hereinbefore described invention is as follows:

A pair of pant legs 51 are stretched over bucks 12 and 14 such that the seams 53 of the pants are aligned longitudinally with the axis of bucks 12 and 14 and as the legs 51 are stretched over the curved surfaces 46 and 48 the seam 53 will open up and the flaps 53a and 53b flattened. Switch is "then activated to actuate valve 137 moving pressing heads 110 and 112 downwardly to bucks 12 and 14, respectively. When the heads 110 and 112 are fully extended, limit switch 154 is made energizing solenoid 151 to open valve 149 to allow steam to flow into heads 110 and 112. Steam is drawn through apertures 128 and legs 51 through apertures 52 into bucks l2 and 14. Steam is drawn through compartments 41 or 42 into compartment 41a past valve 54 into central portion 32 of head 16. Steam is then drawn through shaft 18 into tube 66. When switch 145 is released the heads 110 and 112 move upwardly.

The foot switch 108 is momentarily closed to actuate the solenoid 104 to move valve 98 to actuate air cylinder 82 downwardly rotating the lever 72 to move the bucks 12 and 14 in a 180 arc as hereinbefore described. The pressing heads 110 and 1 12 are then actuated to move downwardly pressing the seams 53 on the opposite sides of the pants secured to surfaces 48 of bucks l2 and 14. The pants are then withdrawn from the bucks l2 and 14 another pair of pants placed thereon.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. A seam buster for pressing open the inner and outer leg seams of a pair of pants comprising: support means; a shaft; means rotatably securing said shaft to said support means; first and second pressing bucks; a head secured to said shaft; means securing said pressing bucks to said head in spaced parallel relation; convex pressing surfaces on opposite sides of each of said pressing bucks; first and second pressing heads; a concave pressing surface on each of said pressing heads; heater means in heat exchange relation with said concave surfaces; means supporting said pressing heads; and means to move said concave surfaces on said pressing heads toward said convex surfaces on said pressing bucks.

2. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein each of said pressing bucks is hollow, each of said convex pressing surfaces having apertures extending therethrough; means forming a vacuum in each of said pressing bucks to draw fluid through said apertures; and wherein each of said pressing heads is hollow, each of said concave surfaces having apertures extending therethrough; and wherein said heater means comprises means to deliver steam into each of said pressing heads such that steam passes from said apertures in said concave surfaces on said pressing heads into said apertures extending through said convex surfaces on said pressing bucks.

3. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein each of said pressing bucks has a longitudinally extending compartment formed therein; a partition extending longitudinally of each of said compartments and positioned to form upper and lower compartment sections; and valve means in said compartment, said valve means being adapted to selectively connect said means forming a vacuum to said upper and lower compartment sections.

4. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein the means supporting the pressing heads comprises: spaced columns; a support plate secured between said columns; first and second air cylinders; means securing said first air cylinder between said support plate and said first pressing-head; means securing said second air cylinder between said support plate and said second pressing head; and means to deliver pressurized air to said first and second air cylinders to move said pressing heads relative to said pressing bucks.

5. A seam buster for pressing a seam comprising: a pressing buck having a hollor interior; a convex surface on said pressing buck, said pressing buck having a rectangular transverse cross-section, said convex surface extending longitudinally of said buck and comprising a plane curved about a line extending transversally of said buck and spaced from a central axis of said buck, said convex surface having apertures extending therethrough and communicating with the hollow interior; vacuum forming means communicating with said hollow interior; a pressing head having a hollow interior compartment; a concave surface on said pressing head, said concave surface having apertures extending therethrough and communicating with said hollow compartment; a steam line communicating with said hollow compartment; a steam valve in said steam line; means to move said pressing head between a first position spaced from said pressing buck and a second position adjacent said pressing buck; and steam valve actuating means controlled by movement of said pressing head, said steam valve actuating means being adapted to open said steam valve upon movement of said pressing head toward said second position and to closed said steam valve upon movement of said pressing head toward said first position.

6. The combination called for in claim 5 wherein said steam valve comprises a solenoid actuated valve; and said steam valve actuating means comprises a switch associated with said means to move the pressing head.

7. The combination called for in claim 5 with the addition of a first clip secured to a first end of said pressing buck; and a second clip secured adjacent a second end of said pressing buck, said first and second clips being adapted to secure opposite ends of a seam to said pressing buck.

8. A seam buster for separating and pressing flaps of a seam in material comprising: a pressing buck; an elongated longitudinally extending convex surface on said pressing buck, said convex surface supporting material and being curved about a transversally extending line to deflect a seam extending longitudinally of said buck such that edges of seam flaps are maintained in engagement with material supported by said convex surface; means adjacent opposite ends of said buck connectable to hold material stretched over said convex surface; a pressing head; a concave surface on said pressing head; heater means in heat exchange relation with said concave surface; and means to move said pressing head between a first position spaced from said pressing buck and a second position adjacent said pressing buck.

9. The combination called for in claim 8, said convex surface extending longitudinally of said buck a distance exceeding the length of the seam and said concave surface being sufficiently long to press substantially the entire length of said seam.

10. A method of separating flaps of a seam sewn in material comprising the steps of: positioning the material over a convex surface; separating flaps of the seam adjacent at least one end of the seam; drawing the material taut along the convex surface such that the flaps are separated intermediate opposite ends of the seam;

securing the material relative to the convex surface ad- U jacent opposite ends of the seam such that tension in the flaps of the seam maintain the flaps of the seam separated intermediate opposite ends of the seam; and applying heat and pressure to the seam such that the material is creased along the seam to cause the flaps to remain separated and flattened against the material.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADER LARK QFFICE CERTIFICATE @F CGRREQTEQN PATENT NO. I 3,913,248

DATED I October 21, 1975 |NV ENTOR(5) I Hugh L. Thompson It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 5, Column 8, line 23, change "closed to close fitgrteot and fieate this twentieth January 1976 [SEAL] Attest.

RUTH C. MASON e. rvmtzsemu DANN Attesring Officer Commissioner oj'Parents and Trademarks l 2 E K E a t i 1 I UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK roFFrcE CERTIFICATE @F CUREQHQN PATENT NO. I 3, 913, 24-8 DATED October 21, 1975 |NV ENTOR(S) 1 Hugh L. Thompson It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 5, Column 8, line 23, change "closed," to

- close Erigneot and oaled this twentieth y @F January 1976 [SEAL] fittest.

Run: 0. MASON c. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner ufPatenIs and Trademarks 

1. A seam buster for pressing open the inner and outer leg seams of a pair of pants comprising: support means; a shaft; means rotatably securing said shaft to said support means; first and second pressing bucks; a head secured to said shaft; means securing said pressing bucks to said head in spaced parallel relation; convex pressing surfaces on opposite sides of each of said pressing bucks; first and second pressing heads; a concave pressing surface on each of said pressing heads; heater means in heat exchange relation with said concave surfaces; means supporting said pressing heads; and means to move said concave surfaces on said pressing heads toward said convex surfaces on said pressing bucks.
 2. The combination called foR in claim 1 wherein each of said pressing bucks is hollow, each of said convex pressing surfaces having apertures extending therethrough; means forming a vacuum in each of said pressing bucks to draw fluid through said apertures; and wherein each of said pressing heads is hollow, each of said concave surfaces having apertures extending therethrough; and wherein said heater means comprises means to deliver steam into each of said pressing heads such that steam passes from said apertures in said concave surfaces on said pressing heads into said apertures extending through said convex surfaces on said pressing bucks.
 3. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein each of said pressing bucks has a longitudinally extending compartment formed therein; a partition extending longitudinally of each of said compartments and positioned to form upper and lower compartment sections; and valve means in said compartment, said valve means being adapted to selectively connect said means forming a vacuum to said upper and lower compartment sections.
 4. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein the means supporting the pressing heads comprises: spaced columns; a support plate secured between said columns; first and second air cylinders; means securing said first air cylinder between said support plate and said first pressing head; means securing said second air cylinder between said support plate and said second pressing head; and means to deliver pressurized air to said first and second air cylinders to move said pressing heads relative to said pressing bucks.
 5. A seam buster for pressing a seam comprising: a pressing buck having a hollor interior; a convex surface on said pressing buck, said pressing buck having a rectangular transverse cross-section, said convex surface extending longitudinally of said buck and comprising a plane curved about a line extending transversally of said buck and spaced from a central axis of said buck, said convex surface having apertures extending therethrough and communicating with the hollow interior; vacuum forming means communicating with said hollow interior; a pressing head having a hollow interior compartment; a concave surface on said pressing head, said concave surface having apertures extending therethrough and communicating with said hollow compartment; a steam line communicating with said hollow compartment; a steam valve in said steam line; means to move said pressing head between a first position spaced from said pressing buck and a second position adjacent said pressing buck; and steam valve actuating means controlled by movement of said pressing head, said steam valve actuating means being adapted to open said steam valve upon movement of said pressing head toward said second position and to closed said steam valve upon movement of said pressing head toward said first position.
 6. The combination called for in claim 5 wherein said steam valve comprises a solenoid actuated valve; and said steam valve actuating means comprises a switch associated with said means to move the pressing head.
 7. The combination called for in claim 5 with the addition of a first clip secured to a first end of said pressing buck; and a second clip secured adjacent a second end of said pressing buck, said first and second clips being adapted to secure opposite ends of a seam to said pressing buck.
 8. A seam buster for separating and pressing flaps of a seam in material comprising: a pressing buck; an elongated longitudinally extending convex surface on said pressing buck, said convex surface supporting material and being curved about a transversally extending line to deflect a seam extending longitudinally of said buck such that edges of seam flaps are maintained in engagement with material supported by said convex surface; means adjacent opposite ends of said buck connectable to hold material stretched over said convex surface; a pressing head; a concave surface on said pressing head; heater means in heat exchange relation with said concaVe surface; and means to move said pressing head between a first position spaced from said pressing buck and a second position adjacent said pressing buck.
 9. The combination called for in claim 8, said convex surface extending longitudinally of said buck a distance exceeding the length of the seam and said concave surface being sufficiently long to press substantially the entire length of said seam.
 10. A method of separating flaps of a seam sewn in material comprising the steps of: positioning the material over a convex surface; separating flaps of the seam adjacent at least one end of the seam; drawing the material taut along the convex surface such that the flaps are separated intermediate opposite ends of the seam; securing the material relative to the convex surface adjacent opposite ends of the seam such that tension in the flaps of the seam maintain the flaps of the seam separated intermediate opposite ends of the seam; and applying heat and pressure to the seam such that the material is creased along the seam to cause the flaps to remain separated and flattened against the material. 